Ineos Fracking Threat Grows After Winning Appeal To Central Government
Central government has overturned Rotherham Council’s decision not to give permission for Ineos to construct a fracking site near Harthill. In a rare win for Ineos, it has succeeded its appeal over plans to exploit the Bowland Shale, in its South Yorkshire/East Midlands license areas. Fracking company Ineos Upstream, a subsidiary of the chemical giant Ineos, is not having an easy time in its attempts to impose fracking on the communities living in its licence areas. Up until now all 3 of its planning applications for test sites have been refused, and have had to go to costly appeals.
Meanwhile its fracking survey in Derbyshire/Nottinghamshire which was supposed to be completed by the end of 2018 still has large chunks missing due to resistance from landowners. Ineos’s plans for a seismic survey in North Yorkshire are meeting similar problems. Ineos plans to survey large portions of the 1.2 millions acres of its fracking licence areas in Central England over the next year. The aim of these surveys is to gather data to advance its fracking plans, including selecting fracking sites for test drilling. These surveys and associated test sites need resisting, otherwise Ineos will be allowed to take a significant step towards fracking.
Thumper Trucks Conducting Part Of Ineos’s Fracking Seismic Survey (Click To Enlarge)
With Ineos’s fracking plans calling for 10 shale gas wells per square mile, allowing Ineos to reach fracking production could see anything up 18,000 wells coating its licence areas in Central England. The primary purpose of these surveys is to gathering geological data but the company is also looking to identify areas where there is no community resistance!
TAKE ACTION NOW
For guidance on opposing a survey in your area read this useful FAQ. Use these Seismic Survey Flyers for raising awareness about the threat posed by seismic surveys in your area. There is also a Seismic Spotter Sheet that highlights the signs and activity that are associated with a survey being carried out in your area.
An organised community is the best defense against the Fracking industry. Get our step-by-step guides and start planning an effective Anti-Fracking campaign where you live here…
The most significant factor in what happens next is building a community response in your area. If we can be of any assistance, or you want to report suspected activity, please email outreach@frack-off.org or call 07858 614861.
